


If You Don't Ask, You'll Never Know

by lionessvalenti



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Non-Explicit Sex, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-04
Updated: 2014-07-04
Packaged: 2018-02-07 09:24:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1893786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionessvalenti/pseuds/lionessvalenti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's another lazy morning for Sam and Steve, until Steve gets the call.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If You Don't Ask, You'll Never Know

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anassa_anemou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anassa_anemou/gifts).



Sam groaned, back arching, as he came. He relaxed against the mattress, catching his breath. "You gotta tell me, Steve, are you bad at anything?"

There was a long pause with some rustling under the blankets until Steve's head appeared at Sam's waist. "Pinochle. I could never play a decent hand of pinochle."

"That must have made life hard," Sam replied. He rolled his eyes, but he smiled. He was in too good a mood -- morning blow jobs made for good moods -- to really be serious in his sarcasm, or to even tease Steve about his old fashioned ways. Who played pinochle besides old guys? Sam chuckled to himself.

"What are you thinking about?" Steve had crawled further up the bed so his head was on the pillow next to Sam's. "I know that smile."

"Yeah, you do." Sam grinned. He shook his head as he touched his finger's to one of Steve's blonde hairs. "And it's nothing. You want some breakfast? You have worked hard this morning."

Steve grinned, too. "Breakfast sounds great."

In the kitchen, Sam began whipping up some food: scrambled eggs (the only way to cook them that he and Steve could both agree on), five grain toast, and he set out several oranges for juice. He'd let Steve make the juice as he could squeeze out every drop of juice from the oranges in half the time it would take Sam to get half as much.

"Do you ever wonder what people would say if they knew you sucked dick? And not only sucked it, but sucked it that well," Sam asked when he heard Steve behind him.

"I've never really thought about it," Steve replied. Without being asked, he got a knife and cut one of the oranges in half. "Aliens can come out of the sky in New York City, but I guess if the public knew I had a boyfriend, that would be bigger news."

Sam grinned. "No one loves a pointless story like the twenty-four hour news cycle. Captain Gay-merica. I bet you a hundred bucks that what they'd say."

"That's Captain Bi-merica," Steve said, emptying the contents of the juicer into a glass. "You'd be an overnight celebrity yourself."

The smile faded from Sam's lips. A story on CNN wasn't exactly how he wanted to tell his family about his relationship with Steve. They knew, of course, that he was friends with Steve. It was hard to keep quiet about being friends with Captain America. While he certainly hadn't been hiding it, no one had asked him directly, so he didn't say anything directly. Sam still hadn't quite forgotten what it was like under Don't Ask, Don't Tell. It didn't matter that it wasn't in effect anymore, or that he wasn't fighting. He knew a few fellow soldiers who'd been discharged and even more that he didn't ask, but he could tell. It was hard to let it go.

"Sam?"

Sam looked over at Steve and he realized that he hadn't responded. "I guess it's hard when people have a certain image of you, and you tell them something that could totally shatter that."

"Or," Steve said gently, "they might already know and just be waiting for you to say something."

"Maybe."

Steve rested his hand on Sam's shoulder. "I'm ready when you are."

It wasn't a challenge, or a threat, but a simple statement of support. Sam smiled. It wasn't fair, really. He only had to tell his family. Steve had to tell the entire world. But it was nice now, just them, without too many other people knowing. It was almost like they could be a regular couple.

Sam opened his mouth to speak, but just as he did, Steve's phone began to ring.

Steve dug into his pocket and retrieved the phone. He didn't look at the screen -- they both knew that ring tone. "Nat?"

Sam couldn't hear what Natasha was saying, just the muffled sound of someone speaking, but Steve had gone stiff as board the second he answered the call. His eyes, which had been a little sleepy still, and soft as he spoke, were alert and steady.

"Do you know that it was him?" Steve paused. "Unconfirmed... well, how certain are _you_?" There was a longer pause this time. "That's good enough for me." He ended the call and like a switch had been turned off, his gaze went soft. "Sam, I'm sorry, it's--"

"Where'd she get the call from this time?" Sam asked. They'd been through this song and dance before. Natasha calls with a tip, and Steve goes out to find Bucky. But either he'd moved on by the time Steve got there, or he hadn't been there at all. Bucky was a ghost wrapped up in a nightmare.

"California," Steve replied. "San Diego, specifically. It makes sense if he was in Vancouver the last time he was spotted."

Sam nodded. He poked the eggs with the spatula, but they'd already gotten hard in the pan. He turned off the heat. At least there was a glass of juice to keep him company. He looked up at Steve who was still just standing there. "Are you going to go?"

Steve's shoulders dropped. "I'm sorry, I have to."

"Don't apologize. I know he's important to you. I don't always get why, but I know." Sam took a hold of the front of Steve's shirt and pulled him close. "Just come home in one piece, okay?"

"Will do," Steve replied before kissing Sam. "I love you."

Sam smiled. "I love you too. Now get out of here. Go find Bucky." He smiled, but it felt fake, and he was pretty sure Steve knew it. "Come back soon. I'm looking forward to another one of those blowjobs."

"I'm looking forward to you returning the favor." He kissed Sam again, and like that, he was out the door. Off to catch a flight that Natasha set up for him. Off to try to find Bucky, who had been impossible to track since SHIELD had been dismantled. But Steve still tried, and Sam knew that he'd never give up, not as long as he knew Bucky was alive out there.

Sam dumped the overcooked eggs into the trash. He'd fry up one for himself -- Steve liked his poached -- later, when maybe his appetite came back. He grabbed the juice Steve had squeezed and sat down at the table.

He knew Steve and Bucky had been friends, and he knew the depth of Steve's loyalty, but he couldn't help but wonder the full nature of that relationship. He didn't ask because he was afraid of the answer. It was easier to deal with Steve running off to find his long lost friend than Steve running off to find his long lost boyfriend.

Sam also wasn't sure if he could deal with an ex who was literally a killing machine.

He'd have to ask someday. Maybe when Steve came back, disappointed again, unless this was the time he caught up with Bucky, but the question would have to come. Sam had become too used to Don't Ask, Don't Tell. If you don't approach the issue, maybe the issue won't exist, but that never did anyone any good. It was better now, so maybe it would be better for Sam to know, too.

And he would, when he was ready.

Sam pulled out his own phone and went to the browser. In the meantime, he could learn how to play pinochle.


End file.
